


Harry Weasley and the Homely Burrow

by AslansCompass



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Harry Potter AU, Harry is Adopted by the Weasleys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 11:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9438431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AslansCompass/pseuds/AslansCompass
Summary: Harry is adopted by the Weasleys instead of being left at the Dursleys.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to my tumblr.

No one knows how word spreads among wizards, but the whispers were everywhere: The Dark Lord was dead. Struck down while killing the Potters.

That Halloween night, while everybody is celebrating, Molly’s sitting in the kitchen, holding little Ginny, marveling at her daughter’s tiny shock of red hair. Molly didn’t know the Potters well–they were after her time at Hogwarts, and she been as active as Arthur in the Order.

Upstairs Bill is sleeping, finally, having been playing on his broom all day and taunting Charles and Percy on their smaller models. He’ll be going to Hogwarts next year, and as much that thought pains her, she can smile now because the Dark Lord is gone, gone for good, and can’t hurt them now.  Her family is safe.

A faint cry comes from one of the bedrooms–Ron, she thinks, and shifts Ginny to her shoulder and stands up. By the time she’s reached the bassinet, Ron is screaming. 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m here. Mummy’s here.”  Molly rubs his back with her free hand.  _James and Lilly had a boy, didn’t they?_

Of course they did, she remembered seeing Lily at meetings, round and red as a fresh apple, but as feisty as ever.  That boy would be about Ron’s age, wouldn’t he now?

The rumors were all James and Lily, James and Lily, not a word about their son. Had the Dark Lord killed him too?

* * *

Molly spends the next three days trying to track down solid information. It might not have taken so much time if she didn’t have seven kids to discipline, clean, and feed, as well as constant interruptions for Arthur from the Ministry (trying to clear the air) and friends (passing along the latest rumors). Finally, she reaches Minerva McGonagal via Floo network. The professor confirmed that yes, James and Lily were dead, but Harry had survived.

“Where?”

With relatives.

I didn’t think James had relatives.

“With Lily’s relatives.”  Minerva paused.  “Muggle relatives.”

Oh, she remembered Lily mentioning a sister once. But something in Minerva’s voice gave Molly pause. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, I don’t want to speak out of turn, but…Oh look, you know how Dumbledore is, always has to be one step ahead of everyone.  Wanted to leave Harry somewhere quiet, away from the rumors….”

But.

Molly isn’t about to let the matter stand. When Minerva admits that she hadn’t talked to the Dursleys– _Dumbledore left a note,_ Merlin’s beard!– she sees a perfect excuse to visit.  Infants can be a handful, after all, and infant wizards, well, someone should give the woman a few tips.

It’s not being nosy if it’s being helpful, Molly tells herself as she Apperates to Little Whinging.

It’s not being nosy if it’s being helpful. It’s not being nosy—

She knocks on the door, listens, knocks again.  No one answers.  “Anyone home?”

* * *

“What were you thinking?”

“Molly-just a moment–”

“You haven’t heard a word I’m saying, have you?” 

Dumbledore takes a deep breath. “I had my reasons–”

“Reasons? Reasons?”  Molly stares the headmaster in the eyes. “Did those reasons include leaving a toddler with relatives who locked him in the closet?”

"Family bonds–”

“Family?” she snorts. “Their son was already calling Harry ‘Freak’. They’d just gone out to get a lock for the cupboard. A _lock.”_

Dumbledore opens his mouth, but Molly isn’t done yet.

“His diaper was at least a day old-–filthy like you wouldn’t believe, and too big; falling down around his ankles. And judging from the way he ate, they hadn’t bothered to feed him either.”

“You can’t just walk in and kidnap–”

* * *

Dumbledore lost, of course. There would be all sorts of discussions in the following year, about secrecy and security and how much to say, but Harry was, for all intents and purposes, Harry Weasley from the moment Molly found him in No. 4 Privet Lane.


End file.
